Box 7, Folder 11, Document 60

Box 7, Folder 11, Document 60

(Draft)
June 6, 1968

Revised June 12, 1968

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MEMORANDUM

' TO: Local Coalitions
THE NATIONAL COALITION PROGRAM OF TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE

Responding to the Emergency Convocation of August 1967

and to the critical urban crisis of our nation, many

cities have formed local coalitions and many are or soon

will be in the organizational phase. These local coalitions
are becoming a vital forum for communication among different
elements in the community. They are a mechanism for assess-
ing community problems, establishing priorities, coordinating
efforts and initiating new programs. They are also extremely
potent vehicles for members of coalitions to individually and
collectively speak out on national issues and to support,
propose, or oppose legislation affecting urban problems and the

resources needed for their solution.

The National Urban Coalition, in an effort to maximize the
aims and objectives of local coalitions, will make available

through its staff a broad technical assistance program at the

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request of the local coalition. This program is developed
within the limits of resources presently available to the
national Coalition to meet needs of local coalitions. It will

be expanded and/or modified as those needs change.

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The National Urban Coalition's technical assistance pro-
gram will wenge from assisting communities to organize
and launch local coalitions to concentrated assistance
for specific programs. To accomplish this assistance

program, the national coalition has divided its staff

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into four board units; the Local Coalition Division, the

Program Development Division, the Communications Division

and the separate Action Council Division.

(1) The Local Coalition Division is the operational staff
of the national Coalition. Its primary task is to explain
the urban coalition concept and assist communities in or-
ganizing local coalitions. It will also render general
technical assistance on coalition programs and relate national
issues to local coalition objectives.

(2) The Program Development Division is the program
specialist staff of the national Coalition. Its primary
task is to provide expert assistance in specific program
areas by its staff members and through its consultant
resources. It will also be the major channel for the
assembly and dissemination of technical program information
relative to local coalition activities.

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(3) The Communications Division



(to be filled in by Brian Duff)

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(4) The Urban Coalition Action Council is a separate unit



of the Axtional Coalition. The primary functions of its
staff will be to promote social improvements in the nation's
urban centers through its study of proposed legislation and
its mobilization of community leaders across the country to
support, propose and oppose legislation affecting urban

problems and the resources for their solution.

Local coalitions will address requests for all forms of

technical assistance to the Local Coalition Division. As

the operational staff of the national Coalition, these staff
members are assigned to each of the local coalitions throughout
the country. They will either respond directly to the request
or, if it requires extremely technical problems, refer it to

the appropriate specialized division. The Urban Coalition Action
Council staff will deal directly with coalitions and coalition

members,

The national Coalition will provide the following forms of

technical assistance upon request:

1. Provide assistance to new communities in identifying
and bringing together local leaders who might be interested

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in the formation of a coalition. (local)

2. Provide assistance to new communities in explaining
the philosophy and objectives of The Urban Coalition and
in the formation and representative character of organizing

and permanent steering committees. (local)

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3. ‘Provide speaker resources through the national +lgcq\

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Steering Committees to assist in the launching of

the local coalition. (communications} local)

4, Provide assistance to existing coalitions on
improving the representative character of its
steering committee and guidance on the composition,

purpose and functioning of its task forces. (local)

5. Provide assistance to coalition on how they organize
neighborhood groups for community leadership in coalition
planning and policy making and for community generated
social action projects which require no funds. (local,

program development)

6. Provide guidance on dealing with the diverse elements

of the black community. (local, program development)

7. Provide assistance to local coalition staffing, funding,
administration and program management problems. (local,

program development)

8. Provide liaison for local coalitions with Federal agencies
on clarification and modification of policy and for their con-

sideration of.meritorious applications for grants. (local,

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program development)

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9. Provide information on sources of local, state, federal
and foundation funds to employ staff and to improve existing

programs or start new ones to meet community priorities. (?)

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10. Provide representation before. various national private
organizations conducting programs locally to insure that
their local counterpart organization cooperate with the

coalition in its effort to coordinate all programs.

ll. Provide assistance to help local coalitions analyze
community problems, inventory existing programs aimed at
the solution of those problems and identify gaps or

duplication of effort. (program development)

12. Provide a periodic newsletter to include relevant
national or local surveys and studies on urban problems,
information on new program concepts, Federal program
guides, new national Coalition statements and policy,
visual materials developed by local coalitions related

to coalition goals. (communications, program development)

13. Provide a periodic program memo to include intensive
case studies of successful programs of local coalitions.

(program development)

14. Provide assistance on a range of specialized programs
(ghetto entrepreneurship, youth mobilization, manpower,

housing, education, communications, etc. (program development)

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15. Provide advice to local coalitions on mechanisms by

which they may coordinate existing and new community programs.
(local, program development)

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16. Provide assistance in the writing of applications
for state, federal and foundation funds. (program

development)

17. Provide assistance in developing projects and
materials on attitudinal change and methods on
increasing communication between the black and white

community. (communications, program development)

18. Provide advise on the programmatic implementation
of the Kerner Commission Report by local coalitions.

(communications, program development)

19. Provide information and guidance to aid local
coalitions in interpreting local, state and national
legislative issues and relating them to the coalitions

goals and priorities. (Action Council)

20. Provide periodic legislative reports on the
status of pending national legislation of interest to
coalitions and to outline significant features of newly

passed legislation concerning urban problems. (Action

Council)

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